Showcase Sunday #1

I decided I would start participating in Showcase Sunday hosted by Vicky from Books, Biscuits and Tea which is similar to IMM, just with a different name. To find out how to participate visit her site.

This week I got:

Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger: I received this from Atom after I requested it which made me happy. The review should be up over the next couple of days.

Level 2 by Lenore Appelhans: I bought this the other day and can't wait to read it!

The New Hunger by Isaac Marion: I received this from Zola Books, asking me to review it and I got super excited. You can see my review here. The release date is tomorrow. 

From NetGalley:

The Madness Underneath by Maureen Johnson: Loved the first and I was happy when penguin approved it.

The Sweetest Dark by Shana Abe: That cover is gorgeous. Thank you Random House for approving. 

A Shimmer of Angels by Lisa M. Basso: A free galley I just couldn't turn down. I look forward to reading it soon!

So that's it guys! Let me know what you got in the comments section and I'll take a look.

Review: Mystic City by Theo Lawrence

Date Read: January 26th, 2013
Date Published: October 11th, 2012
Publishers: Corgi
Format: Paperback
Pages: 397
Blurb: 
For fans of Matched, The Hunger Games, X-Men, and Blade Runner comes a tale of a magical city divided, a political rebellion ignited, and a love that was meant to last forever. Book One of the Mystic City Novels.
Aria Rose, youngest scion of one of Mystic City's two ruling rival families, finds herself betrothed to Thomas Foster, the son of her parents' sworn enemies. The union of the two will end the generations-long political feud—and unite all those living in the Aeries, the privileged upper reaches of the city, against the banished mystics who dwell below in the Depths. But Aria doesn't remember falling in love with Thomas; in fact, she wakes one day with huge gaps in her memory. And she can't conceive why her parents would have agreed to unite with the Fosters in the first place. Only when Aria meets Hunter, a gorgeous rebel mystic from the Depths, does she start to have glimmers of recollection—and to understand that he holds the key to unlocking her past. The choices she makes can save or doom the city—including herself.


Review: 
I really liked this book. It was definitely different and not like any I'd read before. I got into it right from the beginning and it kept me up until the early hours of the morning.

Aria lives in the Aeries above Manhattan which is flooded due to global warming. She has a great life and is to be married to Thomas, the son of her opposing family. The two families hope that their union will unite the two. Except Aria can't remember ever falling in love with Thomas and she doesn't quite believe the things that are being said to her. But when a Mystic shows up, beings with strange powers that live in the depths, she begins to realize that not everything is what it seems.

Right from the start I connected with Aria and who she was as a character. She was strong, both in mind and determination and she was different to her parents. I love characters that go against what's set out for them. If I had her parents I don't think I'd have the courage to stand up to them. They were scary at times, especially her dad.

Hunter, our beloved Mystic is oh-so-nice! I'd love to have a book from his point of view, even if it's just a novella, a prequel, because he is an interesting character. He'll do anything for Aria and it's sweet how connected they are. On the other hand we have Thomas who does have his moments but I don't want to give away too much.

I kind of guessed how the story would go but there were still some shocks in store for me. After the first 100 pages it really gets going and I found it hard to put it down. That's when you know a book is good. That you risk looking like a zombie for the rest of the day after a sleepless night.

Overall a great read that I would recommend to those who like the mystical and unique side to YA.

Feature and Follow #1

This is my first time doing this because I would love some more followers to spread my love for books. And I hope I can convince some of you to try ones you hadn't thought of before.

This is a weekly feature hosted by Parajunkee & Alison Can Read. If you go to Parajunkee you can join in too and gain more followers.

If you are a new follower them comment on this post to leave your link so I can follow you. Everyone wins! 

You can follow me through GFC, Twitter, FB, email or Google+.

The question from Alison can read it:

Q: What is the last book that kept you up late into the night just to finish it?

A: It was Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion. That book was amazing and you can find my review here.

ARC Review: The New Hunger by Isaac Marion

Date Read: January 24^th, 2013

Date Published: January 28^th, 2013

Publishers: Zola Books

Format: E-book

Pages: 140

Blurb: New York is a bayou. New Orleans is a reef. The entire country has been devastated by natural disasters and governmental collapse, and on top of everything else there is the annoying problem of zombies trying to devour you at every turn. But sixteen-year-old Nora and her younger brother Addis are about to discover the most frightening thing yet: being abandoned in this horrific world by their own parents.

Left with only a bag of clothes and a first-aid kit, Nora and Addis begin a harrowing journey to connect with anyone who isn't looking to rob them or eat them. A wounded man wrecks a meal of green beans and French fries at the top of the Space Needle in Seattle. An attempt to get a good night’s sleep in a fortified motel is ruined by an undead face staring at them through the window. And they just can’t seem to shake someone – something – that’s been following them everywhere they go….

Meanwhile, a girl named Julie is travelling toward the city in an SUV with her parents. She is only twelve, but has already seen friends die and her school burn. She has watched her father become nearly as cold and remorseless as the Dead. All she wants is someplace to call home, even if it never really will be.

And somewhere nearby, a tall man awakens in the woods, unsure of exactly where he is, or even who he is. As he struggles to remember details of his life, a single consonant comes to him: R. He is…a name that begins with R….

Review:

Absolutely amazing. Isaac Marion has created a world that I have fallen in love with, but also terrified of. His writing is so raw and real it’s as if you are really there. He is easily one of my favourite authors.

The New Hunger, the prequel to Warm Bodies, explains the stories of some of our most loved characters from Warm Bodies. Julie is 12 years old and travelling with her parents. They don’t know what they’ll run into or who they’ll find, but they have to keep surviving. Sixteen-year-old Nora and her younger brother Addis are fending for themselves after being abandoned by their parents. The world is dangerous and they don’t know what’s around the corner, but they have to keep going. But a man is awakening and realising what he is. He can’t remember much but he knows his name begins with R.

I love this prequel. It’s definitely one of the best I've read and it gives us detailed backgrounds for the characters. I found Nora and Addis’ the best because we didn't learn much about them in Warm Bodies.

The thing I liked about Marion’s characters is that you can relate to them and you feel for them. You laugh with them and you cry with them.
The idea to switch between the different characters was genius because it keeps you on your toes and gives the book a fast pace. The imagery is beautifully detailed and I hope the film captures it as well as my mind does.

Overall it was a great read, just as enjoyable as Warm Bodies was. Fans will love the information this novella has to offer but it also leads straight onto Warm Bodies which is great news for new readers who want to give this series a try. Which I highly recommend!

I would like to say thank you to Zola Books for giving me the chance to review this book.